According to information released by the World Health
Organization, at present there are about four billion people in the
world who use herbal medicine to treat their diseases. The number
accounts for 80% of the world's total population.
Over the next decade, the use of herbal medicine will become
popular around the world. More than 70 countries and regions have
signed cooperative agreements with China with regard to the use and
exploitation of herbal medicine.
Traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been widely used in over
160 countries and regions, said Zhang Qi, head of the International
Cooperation Department under the State Administration of
Traditional Chinese Medicine in Guangzhou last weekend, the
Nanfang Daily reported.
Many countries have their own traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)
clinics. Britain has a population of 50 million people and there
are about 3,000 TCM clinics in the country. There are 15 million
people living in the Netherlands and the country has 1,600 TCM
clinics. Canada has a population of 30 million people and the
country has 3,000 TCM clinics. Australia has a population of 19
million people and there are 4,000 TCM clinics in the country.
Apart from these, there are many TCM pharmacists in Hong Kong,
Macao and Taiwan. Although there are a great number of TCM
pharmacists in the world, their professional practicing
capabilities vary greatly. Some of the TCM doctors actually do not
have a certificate.
On September 22, a working committee that deals with the
certificate registration and issuing for overseas TCM doctors and
pharmacists was established in Guangzhou. The establishment of the
working committee was approved by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and
it was attached to the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional
Chinese Medicine. In future, overseas TCM doctors and pharmacists
can apply to the working committee for getting a professional
certificate. The professional certificate can distinguish legal
doctors from the illegal ones and it can also rate the doctors'
practicing level.
The working committee will become a good source for overseas TCM
doctors and pharmacists to learn knowledge about TCM and make their
profession acknowledged in society.
(China News Service September 26, 2007)